RCMP in New Brunswick are warning parents to keep a close eye on their children’s online activities, after a number of young people under the age of 12 recently shared nude images of themselves online.
Police say their Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit identified four children, between the ages of eight and 12, in recent months who voluntarily shared photos and videos of themselves.
The images were available publicly on “various free websites.”
RCMP say all the children are confirmed to be safe.
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“It is unfortunately becoming more common for young people, even children, to share exploitative photos and videos of themselves online, and once it’s online it can’t always be removed,” said RCMP Sgt. Chantal Farrah in a news release.
“Many young people also don’t realize that publicly sharing images or videos of a sexual nature of a person under the age of 18 is a child pornography offence.”
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Police are reminding parents and guardians to know the sites that their children are visiting and to use tools that limit or restrict certain websites. They also ask people to monitor their children’s devices and talk to them about appropriate online behaviour.
Parents and guardians are also encouraged to make “family contracts” outlining rules, and to have regular check-ins with children about their online activities.
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